News

Economic Partnership Agreements: what are the implications?

by ITC Communications

ITC’s Trade Support and Regional Integration Programme for the Côte d’Ivoire (PACIR) will on 7 and 8 June host a workshop in Abidjan to inform and discuss about the commercial aspects and implications of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs).

ITC will be represented by Mr Jean-Sébastien Roure, adviser on legal aspects of trade, and Mr Benjamin Walker, national coordinator of PACIR/ITC. Other participants will come from the government of Côte d’Ivoire, the EU, as well as representatives from the private sector.

The first day of the workshop will focus on the state of play of the ongoing EPA negotiations between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the European Union, and the signed interim agreement between Côte d’Ivoire and the EU. There will also be a presentation of a study carried out by Ms Josther Kouakou, deputy director of the economics and finance department, the National Bureau of Technical Studies and Development, comparing the offer of access given to ECOWAS and the interim agreement signed by Côte d’Ivoire.

The second day of the workshop will start with a presentation by Ms Jocelyne Legré, project coordinator at the National Bureau of Technical Studies and Development, who will look at the rules governing the country of origin aspect and how they have been addressed during the EPA negotiations and their difference compared with those found under the Cotonou Agreement. This session will be followed by a conclusion and an informal debate on extension of trade on the provision of access and rules of origin within specific industries.

On both days, between the main sessions, there will be discussions giving the participants the opportunity to exchange views on topics related to the EPA negotiations

The ITC workshop, which will take the shape of a public-private dialogue, is being held at the Ivotel Hotel. Further information and detailed programme (in French only) can be found here.